February 06, 2013

Snyder signals support for Medicaid expansion: Now comes the hard part

It only took a half-a-year of study. But Gov. Rick Snyder
today will finally say he’s on board with a proposed expansion of Medicaid for
Michigan, which will inject $6 billion in Medicaid funding into the state for
the first three years.

That’s the easy part. Putting aside December’s curveball
over right-to-work, Snyder is a moderate at heart, so it’s no surprise he
finally embraced a Medicaid expansion to provide medical services to
those who can’t afford them.

The expansion, authorized under Obamacare, would be fully
federally funded in the first three years, and after that, the state ultimately
would pay 10 percent of the cost.

Now comes the hard part. Getting Michigan Republicans –
particularly House Republicans – on board with the expansion. Any Medicaid
expansion would need legislative approval, and House Speaker Jase Bolger
already has said he has serious concerns about an expansion, including a fear most
costs will eventually shift to states.

That’s a legitimate concern, though diminished somewhat by
the fact that states can pull out of the expansion any time they choose.

For many, what lies at the heart of opposition to an expansion
is ideology – fear of a federal boogeyman with ever-expanding arms propping up
death panels, denying treatment to grandma and removing personal
decision-making from every aspect of health care.

Of course, that boogeyman bears no resemblance to the
market-driven Affordable Health Care Act passed by Congress in 2009.

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Snyder signals support for Medicaid expansion: Now comes the hard part

It only took a half-a-year of study. But Gov. Rick Snyder
today will finally say he’s on board with a proposed expansion of Medicaid for
Michigan, which will inject $6 billion in Medicaid funding into the state for
the first three years.

That’s the easy part. Putting aside December’s curveball
over right-to-work, Snyder is a moderate at heart, so it’s no surprise he
finally embraced a Medicaid expansion to provide medical services to
those who can’t afford them.

The expansion, authorized under Obamacare, would be fully
federally funded in the first three years, and after that, the state ultimately
would pay 10 percent of the cost.

Now comes the hard part. Getting Michigan Republicans –
particularly House Republicans – on board with the expansion. Any Medicaid
expansion would need legislative approval, and House Speaker Jase Bolger
already has said he has serious concerns about an expansion, including a fear most
costs will eventually shift to states.

That’s a legitimate concern, though diminished somewhat by
the fact that states can pull out of the expansion any time they choose.

For many, what lies at the heart of opposition to an expansion
is ideology – fear of a federal boogeyman with ever-expanding arms propping up
death panels, denying treatment to grandma and removing personal
decision-making from every aspect of health care.

Of course, that boogeyman bears no resemblance to the
market-driven Affordable Health Care Act passed by Congress in 2009.